the anchor rose.

i absolutely love long hair, but my hair follicles always seem to be on strike against it. i’ve had extensions in the past (the ones that are actually beaded into your real hair), and i wasn’t a fan. clip-on extensions are perfect for me since i can selectively wear them depending on the day, event, or mood. i created this tutorial so you can make some clip-ons for yourself.

yes, they sell clip-on extensions at wig stores, but they typically give you odd pieces. if you buy your own full weft of hair, you can cut pieces that’ll exactly fit your head while also gaining the ability to double up the extensions to avoid having too many rows and also for an overall better look.

what you’ll need:

-a weft of hair in your color – you can choose many lengths and shades, so try out each one before buying!

-extension clips – i bought a pack of 12, but you won’t need that many

-thread and needle for weaves – the wig store will have this (the weave thread is much sturdier than regular thread and the needle makes threading a lot easier)

-patience

here’s the hair packaging and the supplies mentioned above:

step 1: take out the hair and use it to cut pieces to fit to your head. i cut three pieces to make three rows of clip-ons. it all depends on the thickness and length of your hair. if it’s already long and you only want some thickness, you might only need a couple of rows. if it’s short and you’re wanting lots of length, you may need more rows to better hide your shortest layer of hair. i personally measured one row from temple to temple, one row from the back of both ears, and one more (little) row at the bottom of my ears (i only ended up clipping in the top two rows and it was perfect). when you cut each row, cut one exactly the same length. you’ll want to double up on each row.

step 2: once you have your rows ready and doubled, it’s time to start sewing. i sewed a few stitches directly into both wefts (see pictures above to see what the weft looks like) to secure them together while i sew in the clips. this helps to keep things steady since they don’t love to stay in place when you’re attempting to add a clip into the mix!

when you’re ready to sew in the first clip, make sure the clear rubber backing is touching the hair and not facing you. as seen in the pictures below, when you unsnap the clip, it has to be in the proper direction to clip into your hair. you can also notice the holes through which you sew. i used the holes on the far right and left, and that was enough to keep them secure.

hold the needle and wefts tightly and make sure the wefts are even so you’re sewing through each one. a sew 3-4 tight loops to make sure the thread is not going anywhere and move onto the next hole or clip. for longer rows, i would use three clips. for shorter rows, you can use two clips. if the wefts start separating in the middle, you can always throw in a few stitches to avoid any gapping.

step 3: if you’re on this step, you’ve completed the hardest part! after the clips are sewn in, try them out. the best advice i heard about clip-on extensions was from ken paves. he recommends slightly teasing the little section of hair that will be holding the clips. it makes putting in extensions so much easier and it helps them to stay in place all day. below are some photos of my completed project.

here i am with my beautifully long hair!